


You Never Listen Anyway (And That's the Hell Of It)

by Astr



Series: AU-gust 2020 [11]
Category: Hyperdrive - Web Series
Genre: Domesticity, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Neil is still a jerk, Stella is jacked as hell, Unhealthy Relationships, a real party, anxiety mention, farming, introspective work, there are horses and cows and chickens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:47:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25676818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astr/pseuds/Astr
Summary: AU-gust prompt: 11. Farm AuStella shows Neil where she lives and works. It doesn't go great. But at least she can flex her pretty muscles.
Relationships: Neil (Hyperdrive)/Stella (Hyperdrive)
Series: AU-gust 2020 [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1853722





	You Never Listen Anyway (And That's the Hell Of It)

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to day 11! I hope you like this, and our girl Stella.
> 
> As always, credit goes to the fabulous creator of Hyperdrive, who can be found here:  
> http://rad-infinituum.tumblr.com

For someone with such a high body-fat content, I'm pretty strong. I mean, yeah, I pick Neil up sometimes (he likes that for some reason), but that isn't very hard to do. He's little. So it's no surprise that he's, well, surprised, when I show him where I grew up, and continue to live.

It isn't a huge thing, but it's mine. Been in my family for generations and all, and I'm the last one left. I try not to think too hard about that bit. That if I don't have a child or whatever, this legacy dies with me. 

It isn't just like how my mom and pa used to nag me about settling down with someone nice, mind you. It's like… I'm it.

There's a tree that stretches all the way up into the stars, all my forebearers and ancestors and all, and down here it's me. It's me and life is already swinging the axe to bring this mighty redwood down, to nothing but a stump that doesn't serve any purpose to anyone. 

Yeah, I know. It's fatalistic. It's something that keeps me up at night, though, and keeps me hoping someday I'll find someone who actually wants me enough to stick around and procreate and all that. And now… well.

He isn't really the marrying type. That would be fine if he were the fatherin' type. He isn't that either. Not with me, anyways. 

But whatever. I can't think about it or I'll get a panic attack and goodness knows he won't help me through that either. Makes me wonder why I stay. Makes me remember no one else wants me.

But he wanted to see what I do for a living, so I offered to show him. Maybe it wasn't a great idea. He hates waking up early, so that was the first problem. Then he hates being really cold, and all the layers in the world can't protect you from the dawn breeze, cuts right to your bones. At least he didn't feel up to showboating and hurting himself when we milked the cows. 

Just two ladies, both pleasant as peaches and pregnant. Farm down the road gets Sophia's calf, I get to keep Rose's. Yes I named them after the Golden Girls. Doesn't matter. Especially doesn't matter because Neil hates them already. Whatever. He doesn't have to hang around them, then. He doesn't have to hang around the chicken coops either, with how he sputters and chokes about eggs being unsanitary. I wash them, of course. Always. Jeesh.

Next was the horses. Big old Clydesdales. Storm is a gelding but that doesn't do much to make him less intimidating. Especially not next to his stallion brother Sky. Both taller than me standing up, and Neil runs around shrieking that they're gonna stomp him to death with their hooves. If he doesn't stop, they just might. So he gets to stand outside. I get the feeling he wasn't expecting any of this when he wanted to see what I do. Sorry bud, can't all be computer nerds or museum folks or whatever his precious lady love does.

After the horses are brushed, fed, and let out to roam the paddock, I clean out the stables. He doesn't help, naturally, since such rough work is beneath him and he doesn't want dirt in his nails. Or the smell to stick to his clothes. That's why you have  _ work _ clothes like I told him to wear. He didn't get it so he just wore his normal things. Still, I think he was at least a little impressed to see how much hay I can fork over.

Next is firewood, while it's still cool. He actually does want to try that. I warn him that he probably doesn't have enough arm strength, but that just offends him (of course). So I let him try and pick up the axe. When that doesn't work, I give him a hatchet. He can break down twigs. Make himself feel useful. And I can get firewood done before noon. Most girls probably wouldn't feel sexy swinging an axe down and splitting logs. I do.

Maybe he thinks so too, cause he's staring. Maybe it's just the stains on my clothes though, cause he turns up his nose when I give him a little wink.

Doesn't stop him from inviting himself into my shower.

For someone so little, so socially awkward, he can be good when he wants. Especially with his little blue hands.

He's cute when he settles down for a nap, too.

So maybe it wasn't a total bust.

He's still not the marrying or fathering type. At least not with me. But when he's asleep, smile on his little face, I can imagine. At least until he gives up on chasing his hopeless dream, or I do.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, and I'll be here tomorrow with a little Dragon Age Inquisition content!


End file.
